Welsh Motoring Writers
  • Home
  • About us
  • News
  • Car Reviews
  • Blogs
  • Contact
  • Members
  • Blog

Jeep Renegade 1.6 Multijet Longitude

5/5/2015

 
Picture
Jeep has a heritage in 4x4s that goes back longer than perhaps any other car manufacturer.

All Jeeps are SUVs. Off-road ability, therefore, is key to the brand’s heritage but, to expand into new sectors and attract new customers, it needs to retain the appeal of a Jeep, offer fuel-efficient engines and also give customers the option of two-wheel drive.

So, the Renegade launches Jeep into a new market segment: that of the B-sector SUV


Picture
The biggest selling car in this sector is the Nissan Juke, although the Jeep’s dimensions are rather larger. It’s built in Italy and is a sister car of the Fiat 500X.

Jeep has sought to benchmark against the Mini Countryman (perhaps more of a traditional lower-medium hatchback than an SUV), and the Škoda Yeti, which is more of a rival for larger cars such as the Nissan Qashqai.

Confusing, perhaps, but also easier to explain away the Jeep’s price premium. Jeep doesn’t fear asking a premium price for the Renegade, but its website allows customers to compare with other models so they can see that, after adjusting for specification, the Jeep undercuts many rivals.

The Renegade is available with petrol and diesel engines. There will be limited interest in petrol among corporate customers, but there is also a choice of three diesels. There is a 120hp 1.6-litre front-wheel drive model, with CO2 emissions from 120g/km, and the option of 140hp or 170hp 2.0-litre diesels – the latter two being four-wheel drive only.

The Renegade has many traditional Jeep characteristics: the round headlamps, grille with seven vertical bars, and squared wheel arches.

Interior quality is much better than Jeeps of the past – and more in keeping with the latest Grand Cherokee and Cherokee, with soft-touch materials on the dashboard and elsewhere, while also feeling rugged.

Equipment grades start with Sport, rising to Longitude and Limited, with the ultimate off-roading Trailhawk top of the range, with greater all-terrain ability than the others.

Equipment levels are high, and there is a range of safety equipment offered, including lane keep assist, collision mitigation, emergency braking, blindspot warning and adaptive cruise control.

We tested the 120hp front-wheel drive and 140hp four-wheel drive diesel models. The 120hp diesel, lacking in 4x4 hardware, pulls well enough, and is smooth and refined. Passenger space is comfortable for four adults.

The boot is nice and square, although not over generous with volume. There is, however, a full-size spare wheel – a potential life-saver if the car is actually used off road.

The Renegade competes in a sector where more than a fifth of vehicles are true fleet cars (those going to genuine company car drivers). It performs well enough to be a rational company car choice.

By Simon Harris
First published in Fleet News.


Comments are closed.

    View by date

    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    December 2020
    August 2020
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    August 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    September 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    July 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    March 2014
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    July 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    October 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    May 2010
    December 2009
    October 2009
    August 2009
    November 2001


    View by tags

    All
    Alfa Romeo Giulietta
    Alfa Romeo Mito
    Aston Martin Rapide
    Audi A3
    Audi A6
    Audi A7 Sportback
    Audi Q3
    Bmw 520d
    Bmw 5 Series Touring
    Bugatti Veyron Super Sports
    Fiat 500 Twinair
    Ford Focus
    Honda Civic Type R
    Honda CR-Z
    Hyundai Ix35
    Infiniti Ex37
    Infiniti Fx
    Infiniti G37 Cabrio
    Jaguar Xf
    Jeep Grand Cherokee
    Kia Soul
    Kia Sportage
    Land Rover Discovery 4
    Lexus Ct200h
    Mazda3
    Mazda CX-5
    Mercedes-Benz C-Class
    Mini Countyman
    Mitsubishi Shogun
    Nissan X-Trail
    Peugeot 3008
    Peugeot 508 Rxh
    Peugeot 508 Saloon
    Peugeot Rcz
    Range Rover Evoque
    Renault Mégane
    Renault Mégane Coupe Cabriolet
    Renaultsport Clio Gordini
    Renault Wind
    Seat Leon Cupra R
    Seat Leon Ecomotive
    Skoda Octavia Scout
    Skoda Superb Estate
    Skoda Yeti
    Ssangyong Korando
    Suzuki Alto
    Suzuki Swift
    Toyota Avensis Saloon
    Volkswagen California
    Volkswagen Tiguan
    Volkswagen Touareg
    Volvo S60
    Volvo V60

    RSS Feed

© WELSH MOTORING WRITERS 2023